The Battle of Two Whitebeards!

Peak Whitebeard instantly unleashed a massive wave of Conqueror's Haki!

The invisible domain instantly covered the entire shattered battlefield.

Black-red lightning danced wildly around Peak Whitebeard, and the ground beneath his feet was forcibly compressed downward under this aura of Reign Over the World, forming a massive shallow crater.

The air seemed to turn into solidified amber—heavy, thick, suffocating.

"Ugh..."

Marco let out a muffled groan, feeling as though an invisible mountain range had been pressed onto his shoulders, his knees beginning to bend uncontrollably.

The Haki inside his body was like a faint flame in a raging storm, on the verge of being extinguished at any moment within this tyrannical sea of will.

So this was... Pops' Conqueror's Haki at his peak.

Just a simple release was enough to make a battle-hardened First Mate-level strong one tremble!

Yet, the other person at the eye of the storm was completely different.

The Elderly Whitebeard's figure remained hunched, and facing the terrifying aura that crashed toward him like a tsunami, his wrinkled face showed not even a flicker of emotion.

He simply stood there quietly.

"Gurararara..."

The aged laughter rang out again, this time carrying a hint of nostalgia and a trace of approval.

He also lifted his eyes.

In an instant, a king's will, equally born from the depths of his soul, surged upward from his aging body!

This Conqueror's Haki was far less violent and overwhelming than the one opposite him.

But it carried a heavier, more refined weight—a return to simplicity.

Two streams of Conqueror's Haki, from the same source, collided in midair.

No sound was made.

But Marco and Chen Ye clearly "saw" violent ripples, like water ripples, appear in the space between the two men.

Peak Whitebeard's Haki surged like raging waves, striking again and again.

Elderly Whitebeard's Haki stood like a dam, unmoving, dissolving all impacts into nothingness.

"Not a bad look in your eyes."

The Elderly Whitebeard spoke calmly, looking at the golden pupils opposite him—identical to his own, yet filled with violence and fury.

"But momentum alone won't knock a man down."

The moment his words fell.

Both Whitebeards moved at the same time!

No warning.

Their figures vanished from their spots almost simultaneously.

The next second.

Boom!!!

Two iron fists clashed head-on with no tricks!

This time, it was no longer a pure clash of Devil Fruit abilities, but a contest of pure physical strength and technique, wrapped in the ultimate Armament Haki!

A terrifying blast of wind exploded outward from the two of them, forming a circular white shockwave that blew away all the remaining rubble on the ground, sending them flying like buckshot in all directions!

"So strong!"

Chen Ye's pupils contracted as he activated his enhanced Observation Haki with all his might, but he could only barely catch two blurry afterimages.

Was this the level of an Emperor's battle?

Their combat techniques, experience, and even every subtle dodge were exactly the same.

Peak Whitebeard threw a straight punch capable of splitting mountains and cracking the earth, and the Elderly Whitebeard sidestepped at a perfectly matched angle, simultaneously slashing a hand blade toward the other's neck.

As if Peak Whitebeard had eyes in the back of his head, he didn't even turn around, countering with an elbow that precisely blocked the lethal strike.

Prediction!

It was all prediction!

They were familiar with each other's fighting style down to the bone.

This had gone beyond the scope of battle; it was more like a dance of death with one's own shadow.

Every attack predicted the opponent's prediction.

Every defense saw through the opponent's next move.

The ground beneath their feet continuously cracked apart, then was crushed even finer by their violent power.

The entire area below the cliff had been thoroughly plowed by their strength!

Marco was completely stunned.

"This is... Pops' battle..."

He muttered to himself.

No unnecessary movements, no flashy techniques.

There was only the purest power and skill, pushing the concept of "destruction" to its absolute extreme.

Every punch carried a terrifying power capable of sinking a warship.

Every collision was enough to turn an entire city into ruins.

However, as the battle dragged on, Chen Ye's expression gradually turned grim.

He had discovered a fatal problem.

The Elderly Whitebeard's breathing was starting to grow ragged.

At first, it had been a battle cry like rolling thunder.

But now, a heavy wheeze had crept into that voice.

Every punch he threw was still overwhelmingly powerful and unmatched.

Yet, in the instant his fist retracted, that battle-worn arm would tremble—so faintly it was almost imperceptible.

In contrast, the Peak Whitebeard.

He only grew fiercer as he fought!

The exhilaration of battle seemed to turn the fury within him into an endless fuel source.

His aura climbed like a surging mountain flood, growing stronger and more violent with each passing moment!

Every one of his attacks was faster and heavier than the last!

"Haah... haah..."

After another heart-stopping exchange of blows, the two briefly separated.

The Elderly Whitebeard stood atop a massive boulder, his broad chest heaving violently, his forehead covered in fine beads of sweat.

The hidden ailments and injuries accumulated over the years, like parasites clinging to bone, began to savagely retaliate against his body in this high-intensity battle.

He could clearly feel the stabbing pain inside him, and the labored beating of his heart, struggling under the strain.

His stamina... was being drained at an alarming rate.

And across from him.

The Peak Whitebeard landed slowly, staring at the gasping "Imposter" before him. The shock and fury in his eyes gradually gave way to a cold, contemptuous sneer.

"Imposter, is this all you've got?"

His voice was filled with disappointment.

"And here I thought, since you could take one of my punches, you'd be a worthy opponent."

"In the end... you're just a useless old wreck, all show and no substance!"

"Truly disgusting!"

The moment his words fell, the ground beneath him exploded!

His entire body shot forward like a cannonball, crossing a hundred meters in an instant, appearing right before the Elderly Whitebeard!

"Disappear!"

A roar!

The Peak Whitebeard threw a heavy punch, wrapped in Black Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki, carrying the momentum to tear everything apart, slamming straight toward the Elderly Whitebeard's chest!

This punch was faster and more ferocious than any before!

The Elderly Whitebeard's pupils contracted. He forcibly suppressed the surging blood and energy inside him, crossed his arms, pushed his Armament Haki to its limit, and barely managed to block the blow!

Boom—!!!

The massive boulder beneath the Elderly Whitebeard's feet turned to dust in an instant!

His entire body was blasted back dozens of meters!

"Pfft!"

A mouthful of fresh blood, ultimately unstoppable, spilled from the corner of his lips.

Though the injury wasn't severe, it was undoubtedly a signal.

A signal... that the scales had begun to tip.

"Pops!"

Marco cried out in alarm. Blue Regeneration Flames instantly enveloped his body. Unable to hold back any longer, he was about to rush forward.

A hand, like an iron clamp, grabbed his shoulder.

It was Chen Ye.

"Don't go!"

Chen Ye's voice was low and strained.

"If you go now, you'll only get caught up in it!"

"But Pops is..."

Marco's eyes were bloodshot, his voice filled with urgency.

Chen Ye didn't answer him. Instead, he abruptly closed his eyes.

His Observation Haki spread like an invisible tide, wildly extending in every direction.

He sensed the familiar whale-like ship on the distant sea surface.

And he also sensed...

From that ship, several powerful auras were rapidly approaching this place at incredible speed!

Among them, a few auras were deeply familiar to him!

It was Diamond Jozu! It was Vista the Flower Sword!

And there was also another ship sailing across the sea—Chen Ye could sense two terrifyingly powerful figures aboard it!

Someone was coming!

Chen Ye's expression instantly turned grim.

He snapped his eyes open, looked at the frantic Marco, and spoke with unprecedented seriousness.

"Marco, we can't fight anymore!"

"We have to stop them right now!"

Marco froze for a moment, then roared.

"Of course I know that! But how?!"

"No!"

Chen Ye grabbed him by the collar, nearly growling.

"It's not because Pops might lose!"

"It's because people are coming! Members of the Whitebeard Pirates! The past versions of you!"

And it seemed another ship was also sailing over!

That ship carried a few extraordinary people too!

This sentence instantly sobered Marco.

If... if the past commanders saw this scene...

Saw two identical Pops locked in a life-or-death battle...

The consequences... would be unthinkable!

And as for the ship Chen Ye mentioned, Marco had already guessed its identity!

Just as the two were burning with anxiety.

On the battlefield.

Peak Whitebeard looked at the "Imposter" who had been knocked back by his fist, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, yet there was no trace of triumphant satisfaction on his face.

Instead, what replaced it was an extreme confusion and disgust.

He couldn't understand.

This bastard clearly possessed power of the same origin as his own, yet was so aged, so... fragile.

"Enough."

Peak Whitebeard slowly raised his right fist.

A white Vibration Halo once again gathered around his knuckles.

This time, the halo was denser and more dazzling than ever before.

The surrounding space, under the condensation of this power, let out a strained wail, shattering like glass inch by inch.

He looked at the distant, hunched figure leaning on its knees, gasping for breath, and his golden eyes held nothing but icy Killing Intent.

"You, who have defiled the name 'Edward Newgate'..."

"Are unworthy of living in this world."

"Let me personally erase you completely!"

He raised high that fist, capable of destroying everything.